Flying

Even though I'm a pilot, I still love loading up the car and hitting the highway for a far-off vacation destination. Some of my most relaxing moments have been behind the wheel, with Woody Guthrie's "ribbon of highway" stretched out ahead of the hood ornament.

The people who build airplanes believe better times are coming. So do many analysts, who predict that aircraft sales will gain momentum by the middle of next year. When that happens, manufacturers will be ready because they have continued to fund research and development of new airplanes.

At a time when the business aviation industry is showing signs of recovery, you may be wondering whether it makes more sense to update a used airplane or buy a brand new one from a manufacturer. Some brokers, analysts and consultants say you're now often better off putting money into a good used aircraft-one you buy or one you already own-than opting for a factory-fresh model.

Cessna delivered the first Citation CJ4 (Model 525C) in April after wrapping up a rigorous flight-test program that included 1,000 sorties and more than 1,600 hours in the air since the airplane's first flight in May 2008.

I've heard private jets described in many ways over the years, but this was a first.
"It works really good as a canoe," joked Dale Printy, director of technical services for Worthington Aviation, the company charged with product support for the Westwind series of business aircraft.

It's one of the most visited destinations in the air charter world: the Web. But finding the best ways to take advantage of it has challenged charter providers and customers since the start of the dot-com revolution. Virgin Charter's idea for a one-stop online booking portal closed down almost as quickly as it popped up.

When industry observers speculate about the future of the four biggest fractional-jet-share providers, the company that often prompts the most discussion is Flight Options. That's because it has arguably undergone more change than its competitors while also lacking the protection afforded by being under a large corporate umbrella.

Gulfstream's G650, which the company will start delivering in 2012, will be the world's fastest and longest range business jet. Its tall and wide-bodied cabin-the largest in the company's fleet-will boast the latest in comfort and convenience features.

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“When you get into the larger aircraft it becomes like a hotel, with dozens of staff supporting the plane based in a galley area down below. You have very comprehensive cooking facilities, and on larger aircraft we have looked at theatres, with spiral staircases and a Steinway grand piano. The limitations for what you can put inside a plane are pretty much the limits of physics, and even money cannot always overcome that. Even so, people are still always trying to push [the limits]. ”